Just Heard the News
by SingularToast
Summary: When Puck first hears the news, he panics. But he's got to show Rachel he really does want to start a family with her. Featuring "With Arms Wide Open" by Creed. OhioFM!verse


**Just another little continuation of my Ohio FM Radio verse :) Glee's not mine, etc etc ...**

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><p>When she first told him it was a possibility, Puck had just stared at her numbly, nodded, and went with her to the store to buy a few test kits. His rational mind was telling him not to worry, that this was the very early stages and that he shouldn't even think of what to do and when until they had confirmed it all for sure. His mind, thankfully, had taken that order and clutched desperately to it, refusing to let himself think of anything except confirming whether or not Rachel's suspicions were correct.<p>

One week, four positive home pregnancy kits, and one blood test later, his mind finally opened those flood gates, allowing panic to set in.

They were coping on both their incomes, but once Rachel had to stop working at the theatre things would be really tight. He'd have a hard time helping her during the night because of how early he started, and suddenly moving to the lunch shift and swapping with Sam sounded like a better idea. But with a less popular show they may not want to doll out as much money to him. Plus what did he have to teach a kid? Puck had grown up a bully and a womaniser, and had really only curbed his ways once he'd grown old enough to know better. Who was he to be a role model to some kid? And then what if—

He was getting far too ahead of himself. Sitting down heavily on the couch, Puck just stared at his hands clasped in front of him and didn't say anything.

"Noah?" Rachel asked in a small voice, kneeling to the ground in front of him and forcing him to look her in the eye.

He wished she wouldn't, he didn't want to see those tears there.

"Do you … do you not want this?" One of her smaller hands rested over his knee, while the other hovered just above her stomach as if she was holding in her emotions.

But the image brought to mind something else, and he pictured Rachel several months pregnant. Another image crossed his mind of her and their son or daughter laughing and running amuck in the apartment, then another of her holding their baby child to her and singing softly.

His heart hammering, Puck felt a smile crossing his face. "Baby, I want this. I … wow, I just …"

He wanted those images to become reality. They'd work everything out. Other couples had before them, they would too.

But it seemed his smile and disjointed words were too late and not convincing enough. Rachel's expression crumbled and a single tear dropped down her cheek. "Okay," she mumbled quietly, and rose to her feet.

"Rach?" He said, getting to his feet as well and following after her as she moved toward the bathroom. "Babe, I totally want a kid with you. You'd be such a great mom. Best parent ever. I want … I want to see that."

"Okay, Noah," she said, again in that quiet tone. But the way she spoke, the way her shoulders were slumped forward, made him think she didn't quite believe him.

"Rach—"

"I'm going to take a bath," she interrupted him, stepping into the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

Frowning, Puck stuffed his hands into his pockets and stared at the closed door for a long time, listening to the running water as she slowly filled the bathtub. Okay, so he'd reacted kinda badly at first, but they'd really only just gotten home from seeing the doctor. It was a lot to take in. Having a child was a lot of work, and they'd probably need to make some sacrifices, but that didn't mean he didn't want to have a kid. With her.

He just had to show her that.

The next day at work, Puck ignored the odd looks that people gave him as he walked through the office to his cubicle, a case strapped to his back. Picking up his paperwork and flicking through the few emails that had come in from the day before, he prepared what he needed for his show.

Walking between all the cubicles towards the studios, Puck looked straight ahead and didn't even acknowledge his workmates as they looked up at him and whispered to themselves. He didn't miss the gradually rising hum of music in the background as people turned their radios on.

He worked with a bunch of curious cats, seriously.

Jutting his chin out in greeting to the DJ who had been holding the fort over the red-eye shift – Puck's old job, and man oh man he didn't miss it – he slung the strap of the case he had been carrying over his shoulder and sat himself down in his usual seat, readying the microphone and donning his headset.

_"That's it from me this morning folks. Now I'm gonna hand you over to Puckerman so he can bore you to death for the next couple of hours. Ciao!"_

Arching a brow at the other DJ as the guy gave him a mocking salute, Puck shook his head and un-muted his microphone. "Well that's as good an excuse as any to get out of work. 'Sorry boss, I can't make it. I died listening to the radio this morning'. This is Puck ladies and gents, and I've got a bit of a surprise for you today." Grinning, he added, "But you're gonna have to stick around until the end of the show if you want to hear it, so stay tuned. It's six-am and this is Pink with Perfect. Enjoy."

The show ran seamlessly, but Puck felt his nerves mounting as each segment came and went and it got closer and closer to the time when he would need to wrap up. Airing the final caller from his Relationship Advise piece, Puck cleared his throat and reached for the guitar which was propped at his side. Carefully strumming the strings to check their tuning once more, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Right, before I sign off for the day I've got one last thing for you all – that surprise I've been hinting at all morning. You see, my girl Rachel and I have just gotten some awesome news, and you'll probably be able to guess what that news is if you think hard enough." Licking his suddenly dry lips, he reached into his pocket to pull out his lucky pick before continuing. "Problem is, I kinda reacted badly when she first told me. I was just shocked, you know? Then worried, and then I panicked. But straight after that I started thinking what it would mean for me and her, and I can't tell you how damn pleased I am that it's happened. Happening. To us."

Glancing up, he almost laughed at the amount of people he could see gathering to stand silently outside the studios. The few women that were there were misty eyed and grinning broadly at him, and the few guys gestured rudely when he looked their way, though they too had smiles on their faces.

These people were kinda like his family. He shared everything about himself with the state of Ohio over the radio, and they'd heard it all. He was glad he could share this with them too.

"But Rach doesn't quite believe that I'm all that happy about it, so I thought I'd play a little something for her to prove it." Glancing down at the flashing call on hold in front of him, he looked up again to see his boss, Mercedes, standing by the glass window as well.

He'd asked her to call Rachel for him and keep her on hold. Judging by her thumbs up, she'd managed it.

"How's it goin' babe?"

_"Noah? I was on hold for Mercedes for … Noah, am I on the air right now?"_

Grinning to himself, Puck replied, "Yeah you are babe. I asked Mercedes to call you so I could get you on here."

_"You could have _warned_ me," _she hissed softly. What, did she think if she said it quietly enough the rest of the state wouldn't hear her?

"It's alright, you don't have to do much. Just listen." Clearing his throat and strumming out a single chord, Puck tried to ignore the butterflies in his stomach. He'd never actually performed live on radio before, this was kinda nerve-wracking.

As he started to pick out the short intro to the song, he heard Rachel murmured a soft, _"Noah, what …?"_, but he ignored her. Taking a breath, he launched into the lyrics.

"Well I just heard the news today.  
>Seems my life is gonna change.<br>I close my eyes, begin to pray,  
>Then tears of joy stream down my face.<p>

Well I don't know if I'm ready  
>To be the man I have to be.<br>I take a breath, I take her by my side  
>We stand in awe; we created life."<p>

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><p><em>"With arms wide open under the sunlight.<br>Welcome to this place, I'll show you everything.  
>With arms wide open, now everything has changed.<br>I'll show you love, I'll show you everything."_

Back home in their three bedroom apartment, Rachel clutched her pillow closer to her body as Noah's beautiful voice and the dulcet notes of his guitar filtered through the phone. Tears trickled down her cheeks, but she couldn't dim the smile that crossed her face.

"Oh Noah," she whispered, and closed her eyes, one hand dropping to press against her still-flat stomach.

_"If I had just one wish, only one demand,  
>I'd hope he's not like me, I hope he understands.<br>That he can take this life and hold it by the hand,  
>And he can greet the world with arms wide open.<em>

_With arms wide open under the sunlight._  
><em>Welcome to this place, I'll show you everything.<em>  
><em>With arms wide open, now everything has changed.<em>  
><em>I'll show you love, I'll show you everything.<em>

_With arms wide open."_

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><p>Unlocking the door later that morning to let himself into their apartment, Puck had to chuckle to himself when he walked through the door. The unmistakable sound of Creed filtered through the house.<p>

"Noah?"

"Yeah babe, it's me." Dropping his things in the bowl on the chest of drawers by the front door, Puck kept hold of his guitar as he walked through to the lounge room where Rachel was sitting on the couch. A box of tissues sat in front of her.

"It doesn't take long for the waterworks to start apparently," she joked with a watery smile.

Grinning, Puck sat down next to her, setting the case at his side and clasped his hands together, just waiting for her to say whatever was on her mind.

"Do you think you could you get a recording of you playing that for me?" She asked, sniffing softly.

Taking a deep breath, he asked, "How about I play it again now?"

Tears began to fall down her cheeks again as Rachel nodded. Dropping the tissue she had been holding, she leaned in and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face against his shoulder.

"It's a big thing, Rach," he murmured, dropping his head to press a light kiss against her hair. "And I was shocked, but I want this. I want a tiny version of you or me running around. I want ... I want the family thing with you."

"But Noah," she started, pulling away. Wiping delicately at her wet cheeks, she said, "We're not … I mean, you and I aren't …" Apparently unable to say the words, Rachel raised her left hand lamely before blushing and dropping it again.

His breath hitching at the mere thought, Puck chuckled nervously and murmured, "One thing at a time, babe."

Not that he was against that idea either, but just the mention of it sent his nerves flying. Taking a deep breath, Puck mentally shook his head and told himself to listen to his own advice.

One thing at a time.


End file.
